Kukla's Korner Hockey

Minnesota forward Cal Clutterbuck had to be helped off the ice late in the third period of Thursday's 3-1 victory at Edmonton with what appeared to be an injured left leg. Edmonton's Taylor Hall received a five-minute major for kneeing and a game misconduct for his center-ice hit on Clutterbuck with 2:33 remaining in regulation. The two collided in the neutral zone; Clutterbuck was helped off the ice and was unable to put any weight on the leg.

"I really didn't feel like it was knee-on-knee at all," Hall said. "I thought I got him with hip or torso area. It was a weird play. It [stinks] to see him down, but I don't think it was a dirty play ... I don't think I led with my knee."
Wild coach Mike Yeo felt it was a dirty play by Hall.

"To me, what I saw was a player who didn't even look at the puck," he said. "It looked like he was trying to hurt a guy."

The NHL posted a video as well...

The Star-Tribune's Michael Russo reports that Clutterbuck wasn't taken to a hospital, but he also reports that the Wild are furious about the hit:

Clutterbuck flying with the #mnwild to Calgary, so that's at least good news.

Yeah, didnt look dirty to me, neither… It looked more like Cluterbuck didnt even try to dodge it and got stomped

The only thing wrong I can see about that hit is that the puck was passing by him, and he didnt get it, so technically, he never had possession of the puck… But that kinda hit happens 100 times every game, and no one complains

Yes, video appears to show that the first point of contact was knee on knee. But what if it is not Clutterbuck’s knee that’s hurt, as it appeared post-game?

If the hip-on-thigh portion of the check caused the injury, what then? You can’t suspend for a hard hip check, can you?

The puck was a few feet away, however. Does the interference component work against Hall (we’d say, yes)? Coupled with the knee-on-knee portion, this has one-game suspension written all over it.

Of course, in the Edmonton room, the theme was “Taylor’s not that kind of player.” History says he is not, but the only weight that carries is that Hall has no priors. If Shanahan deems this suspendable, strong character is not a factor.

“How would it be if it were reversed?” asked Yeo. “If it were Clutter hitting Taylor Hall that way?”

“How would it be if it were reversed?” asked Yeo. “If it were Clutter hitting Taylor Hall that way?”

Since Clutterbuck already has a history of hitting guys cheaply, it would be looked at like a repeat offense from a guy who hunts for hits like that.

Clutterbuck made a play for the puck and whiffed on it. I get the technicality of the rule that he was never in possession of it, but by the time this hit is lined up, Hall has every reason to expect that Clutterbuck will be in possession. I worry about the slippery slope of being able to cream guys just because the puck is nearby, but I also don’t want to see guys getting punished for separating his man from the puck when the only reason his man never took possession of the puck is because he bumbled the possession.

That said, Hall’s hit doesn’t look like a completely clean hip-check. His front skate was pointed straight at Clutterbuck’s leg and it did look like he led with the knee. I think Hall should and will get a suspension.